I would like to wish everyone, A Happy New Year. Let us hope that our situation steadily improves as the days get longer and spring replaces winter. This has certainly been an unprecedented festive season for us ALL, as the ongoing challenges of the restrictions to combat the coronavirus pandemic bite into our lives, in every way. We have become increasingly weary of the frightening gloom of the daily news, and we are constantly aware that our whole life psyche must require adapting and changing in order to accommodate yet another viral threat. Indeed over the last few days, there has been much reference to the awfulness of the year just past, but surely a year is only a measurement of time and not in itself the cause of good or bad. In the earlier months of 2020 the weather, for instance, was actually quite pleasant. Think how truly horrible the first Lockdown would have been, were we to have had to queue, for our food shopping, out in the cold, wet and wind. It was the awfulness of the pandemic itself that was so totally unbearable...people dying and the feeling of helplessness. It was, all of that, that we wanted away from. Sadly the change over to 2021 has not been the sudden switching on of a light. No, it is going to take a long time, to resolve things and recover. Of course for this very reason, the usual fire of seasonal optimism and expectation, was largely extinguished this time round. While we must accept and go along with the restrictions, it is absolutely vital, we must do whatever it takes not to let ourselves or people we know and care about become lonely or stranded in isolation. Keeping contact with each other by telephone or on social media, is a life line to many people.
Now being very much a "people person", I certainly did miss all the old traditions that accompany the happy socializing, of our festive season. These traditions relating to the celebration of the new year are very ancient and refer to the natural cycle of life. It was symbolic that, from the dying embers of the old year's fire, emerged the sparks to ignite the bright flames of the new year's fire. It was deemed essential and therefore a good omen to keep the fire, if lite, burning from one year to the next. Hence the origins of the carrying of coal from one house to another, at "Hogmany". I always associate this time of year with huge crackling fires, great food, wonderful company, with lots of music and laughter. In our home the fire was very much at the centre everything. This year there was no enthusiasm to have a living fire burning. Instead I had two very large church candles burning near the fireplace and at the changing of the year, "The Bells", I lite fresh candles from the old ones. But this evoked an overwhelming and unexpected flood of emotion of what had passed and in effect was being left in 2020. This is also the traditional time to remember people, to forgive and atone, and to tidy accounts and make payments. Not to bring anything that are unresolved, forward into the start of the new year is a universal feature of a new year celebration.
So far three dawns have heralded fine crisp days, with amber clouded skies of blue above and a glistening frosty ground. I gingerly tread cautious steps on my walk along the shore. The gentle action of the tide is a natural calming and reassuring essence. With my mind and emotions thus stimulated I am ready to face the day. At the start of a year I have always tried to put into place some sort of "resolution" or thumb nail proposal for the longer hours of day light. I need and want to immerse myself in my garden. Getting close to that cycle of nature, planting things, nurturing them and encouraging them grow can enrich anyone's life, and it does. There is something very wonderful about getting the soil of the Earth, under your fingernails. I must be a crofter after all! Let us hope, that as we carry forward the current challenges we will do so with spirits raised by brighter and stimulating days. Staying safe and staying healthy.
Some thoughts on the New Year, Sunday 3rd January 2021. KB.
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